Fire Flies and Empty Skies
by gayforfabray
Summary: Quinn and Rachel are ready to go out into the field with none other than Agent Phil Coulson as their mentor. Their task: assemble the Avengers. Written for Faberry Week, day 6: superheroes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: I guess I should warn you for spoilers, since my Avengers knowledge is based solely on the films (+ a little extra research for the story). I plan on writing at least three more chapters, which will give the opportunity to work on the characters and their histories a bit more. A fair warning: there will be Tony/Steve and a hint of Coulson/Steve in the next chapter. Loki will be in this story eventually, the reason why he isn't in this chapter is because I wanted to focus on Phil and the girls.

(The title is a God Is An Astronaut song)

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

* * *

"Alright ladies, our objective is located somewhere in New Mexico."

"Who are we going after again?" Rachel asked, unsurely.

"Thor Odinson."

"Wait, wait. _Thor?_" Quinn shook her head in disbelief and shared a look with Rachel.

"That is right, Ms. Fabray."

"But..."

"It sounds unbelievable and since this is your first mission I'll allow your surprise. When Director Fury introduced me to my first superhero I... Well, that isn't important now. Just remember that he's not from our world and may act savagely."

Rachel blinked at her new boss, finding this very unbelievable. She stirred her coffee and looked out the window of the roadside diner. "I can't believe we're going to meet our very first superhero."

Quinn was happily chomping away on a bacon burger but managed to nod in agreement. It _was_ exciting. After two months of training at S.H.I.E.L.D. they had finally been cleared for fieldwork. Agent Coulson had, somewhat reluctantly, taken them under his wing and agreed to take them along on his missions.

Agent Coulson rolled his eyes at the girls and finished his tea. "We should get moving," he said, glancing at Quinn. She looked up from her burger and quickly wiped her mouth on a napkin. He stood up and walked towards the exit. Quinn shot a longing look at her unfinished bacon burger and got shoved out of the booth by an impatient Rachel. Quickly, they ran to catch up with their mentor, smiling sheepishly at the waitress they almost knocked down in their haste.

* * *

New Mexico was hot. Lucky for them, they weren't required to make a professional impression so they were free to wear whatever they wanted. Agent Coulson, however, was sweating through his Armani suit.

"Um, Agent Coulson?"

He was walking a few feet ahead of them, right past what looked like a hammer in the middle of the desert. Quinn shrugged when the man ignored them. "Agent Coulson!" she yelled loudly, tapping into her HBIC voice. Rachel rolled her eyes but it seemed to have done the trick.

"Ms. Fabray, may I remind you that we're on a top secret mission here?" Coulson hissed as he neared the girls.

"Yes sir, I know, but um, I think you should see this," she said quietly, nodding towards the hammer.

His sighed and looked down to find the very object he'd been looking for. He cleared his throat and felt his cheeks flush. "R-right." He quickly recovered and held his chin up high. "Good work, girls."

Rachel giggled softly and Quinn could barely hold her amusement. When he glared at them they both put on their poker faces and waited for him to give them orders.

"This is Mjölnir," Agent Coulson began. "Also known as Thor's hammer as it can only be wielded by him. It means that Thor isn't far from here, he would never leave this unguarded."

"Myol-neer? What does it mean?" Rachel asked.

"It means 'crusher'," Quinn replied absent-mindedly as she eyed the hammer.

Agent Coulson gave her an approving nod and he kneeled down next to the weapon. "It can literally crush anything, it's unbearably strong. He can also use it to create lightning and call up storms."

"I didn't bring an umbrella," Rachel muttered to Quinn.

Quinn and Agent Coulson promptly ignored Rachel and started examining the object. Rachel huffed but joined them in a crouch. Coulson put his suitcase on the ground and opened it. He took out an electric device and switched it on. It began to bleep hysterically and the girls shared a look.

"What does that mean?" Quinn asked curiously.

"It means that this object isn't from this world," Coulson replied and he put away the device. "Okay, here's what we'll do. I'm going to call my team in to secure the site and then we'll go into town and look for Thor."

"Do you have a magnifying glass in that suitcase of yours?" Rachel asked jokingly. Quinn chuckled under her breath while Agent Coulson looked at her, probably wondering what he had done to deserve this.

"No, Agent Berry, I do not. Now, shall we get moving?" It wasn't so much a question as an order and the two girls got up and together they walked back to the sleek black car.

* * *

A trail of destruction and a few odd electrical devices led them to Puente Antiguo, a small town a few hours from the Mjölnir site. A visit to the local diner got them a description of Thor, a large blond man who had an affinity for smashing coffee mugs, and a trip to Pet Palace taught them that Thor was no longer in the town.

"He asked you for a _large cat _to ride?" Quinn asked incredulously.

The pet store owner nodded and shrugged. "Believe it or not, but that wasn't the first time someone has asked me that."

Quinn, Rachel and Agent Coulson shot him dubious looks but decided not to reply to the man's revelation. "Right, well, thanks for your... help," Coulson spoke and gave the man a firm nod before leaving the store, Rachel and Quinn following behind.

"Where to now?"

Agent Coulson sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What do you think? I'm supposed to train you two so let's hear it."

Rachel looked at Quinn and frowned. "U-um, well, he doesn't have his hammer so if I were to guess, I'd say he's looking for it?"

Quinn smiled at the shorter girl and nodded in agreement. "I agree with Rachel, he would be looking for the source of his power. I assume he doesn't know where the hammer is so he has no idea where to look, unless word got out that a bunch of men in black were crawling around in the desert..."

"Back to the diner," Coulson said. "If anyone were to spill his guts, it's safe to say it would happen at the local hang-out." He looked at Rachel and Quinn and smiled. "Good thinking, agents."

The girls grinned back at him and then it was back to the diner. The sun was setting in the background and Coulson was supposed to have Thor signed on to Director Fury's secret plan by sunset the next day. The mission had sounded possible when he received his orders but Thor's unpredictability hadn't been taken into account. Still, Agent Coulson wasn't a quitter and he would persist and prevail. At least he had Mjölnir.

* * *

Someone had talked. Word was out on the hammer and the three agents hurried back to the site, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. Rachel was dozing off in the backseat and Quinn couldn't help but find her colleague very adorable. Coulson noticed and gently cleared his throat.

"It's best if you don't get involved with co-workers."

Quinn turned back to look at the road ahead but couldn't suppress a small blush. "I-I wasn't..."

"I see how you two look at each other," Coulson continued. "I'm not going to stop you or report you so you don't have to worry about that. It may not seem like it, Agent Fabray, but this job can be quite dangerous and working beside someone you love in dangerous conditions can impair your judgement. That's all I'm going to say."

Quinn hummed in response, already too busy thinking about the implications. Agent Coulson was right but one glance in the rearview mirror was enough to throw caution to the wind. Quinn and Rachel went through basic training together and had formed an unlikely bond. The smaller girl was loud and often obnoxious but instead of annoying, Quinn found it to be utterly endearing. Now they got the opportunity to work together and whether they took their relationship to the next level or not, Quinn would give her life to save Rachel. She was already doomed.

* * *

It started raining when they reached the Mjölnir site and the girls were amazed to see what looked like an entire city made out of white plastic built around the hammer. There were wired fences around the maze of tunnels and rooms and armed guards were everywhere.

"How long were we gone?" Rachel asked, still groggy from her nap.

Agent Coulson chuckled and guided them through the guarded front-gate. Once inside the compound they went to talk to the S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists assigned to the hammer. After having listened to them Rachel came to the conclusion that they had learned nothing of value. Only that there was a massive electromagnetic surge coming of the hammer that made their systems go haywire.

"Okay, let's call it a night. There's no use for all three of us to stay awake. I'll call you when something happens," Agent Coulson said to the girls.

Quinn looked like she was going to protest so Rachel smiled widely at Coulson and grabbed Quinn by the hand, pulling her through a tunnel until they reached a quiet room with a few chairs, a table and a coffee machine.

After a moment Rachel took off her jacket and bunched it up. She sat down on the ground and put down her jacket, intent on using it as a pillow. Quinn grumbled under her breath, not that keen on spending the night sleeping on a floor, but sat down when Rachel began tugging on her sweater sleeve.

"Do you think Thor will come here?" Rachel asked while she was trying to get comfortable.

"I don't know. Probably."

There was a moment of silence before Rachel spoke again. "I heard what Agent Coulson said to you in the car. I wasn't sleeping."

Quinn sighed and took off her own jacket. "Didn't your parents teach you it's rude to eavesdrop?" she asked tiredly, though she managed to throw in a little smile at the end to show Rachel that she wasn't angry.

"Well, I couldn't exactly help it," she replied with a huff. "He's right, you know."

"Yeah."

Rachel released a puff of air and lay back on the floor. Quinn ran her hand through her hair and took a moment before leaning forward and draping her jacket over Rachel. "Get some sleep," she said softly before getting back up and pouring herself a cup of lukewarm coffee.

"What about you?"

"I'm not tired. I'm sure that'll come back and bite me in the ass but that's why coffee was invented."

"Quinn..."

The girl could be infuriatingly stubborn at times and it made Rachel ground her teeth. She reminded herself that she wasn't Quinn's mother, or keeper, but that didn't stop her from worrying. And she cared about the stubborn blonde, which only doubled her worry load.

"I'm fine, Rach," Quinn reassured the brunette with a gentle smile.

"Okay, okay," Rachel conceded and she turned onto her side, watching Quinn and pulling the jacket closer to her. She wasn't cold; she just liked being enveloped by Quinn's comforting smell.

* * *

A loud alarm sounded and Rachel jumped up with wide eyes. "Wh-wha?" she mumbled sleepily. Quinn took her hand and pulled her against the wall, turning off the light.

"Shhhh."

They waited in silence, hearing distant shouts. Rachel swallowed loudly and Quinn tightened her hold on the smaller girl. Suddenly a loud ringing filled the air and they both moved frantically to reach their mobile phones and stop the sound.

"Hello?" Rachel whispered, grasping her phone tightly, panting slightly from the small adrenaline burst. She looked at Quinn while listening to Agent Coulson on the other end of the line. She nodded a few times before disconnecting.

"That was Coulson, he wants us to go to the interrogation room. They've captured Thor."

Quinn nodded and wordlessly picked up their jackets before handing Rachel her own. "Let's go then."

* * *

Thor was different than Quinn had imagined. He was dressed in a shirt and jeans, for starters. He was also very attractive with his piercing blue eyes. Agent Coulson opened the door for them and they stood facing the Norse god.

"Mr. Odinson? My name is Rachel Berry, I-I work for Agent Coulson. Can-can I get you anything?"

Quinn suppressed a small smile at Rachel's thoughtfulness and studied the god instead. He was watching Rachel, probably trying to determine if she was dangerous or not. She almost laughed out loud at the thought of the small girl being dangerous. Rachel wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Berry?" Thor grunted. "The fruit?"

"Ah, w-well, yes." Rachel frowned and motioned a hand in Quinn's direction. "That's Quinn Fabray, she also works for Agent Coulson."

Thor turned his head to look at Quinn. He looked her over and turned back to Rachel, deeming her harmless. Quinn shrugged and felt relieved. Agent Coulson stepped forward. "I was asked by Nicholas Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to recruit you to our new project. I can't give you any details until you sign a contract that you agree to co-operate. We will return your hammer to you and you will be released until such time as we need you."

"I don't know what this shield means."

"It stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. We protect the people, Mr. Odinson."

"And I get Mjölnir if I agree to this agreement?"

"Yes."

Quinn and Rachel looked on with baited breath, hoping Thor would agree. "There will be others joining you, if you choose to accept. I can't give you all the information but you will not be alone in protecting the human race. There are ... others, with superhuman strength, who we hope will join."

Thor weighed his options. He already grew fond of the human race and felt oddly protective of them, he wouldn't mind saving them now and then, and he would get Mjölnir back without having to kill any of Coulson's men. The little brown-haired girl smiled at him and he nodded.

"Very well. I will work with you." Agent Coulson swiftly moved behind Thor and released his handcuffs. He rubbed the skin on his wrists and stood up, towering over the three agents.

Rachel beamed at the god and just managed to refrain herself from clapping her hands in excitement. He eyed her warily. "Berry, you seem happy with this agreement," he said.

"I am! Oh, this is so exciting!"

Quinn shared a smile with Agent Coulson as they watched Rachel try to contain her enthusiasm. Thor smiled and put his large hand on her shoulder. She squeaked as the man hugged her, pulling her off the ground for a few seconds before setting her back down.

"I like this little fruit girl," Thor proclaimed loudly.

Rachel was slightly shell-shocked from the hug and stumbled over to Quinn, grasping her arm tightly. Agent Coulson smiled in amusement. "Follow me, I'll get you back to Mjölnir," he said to the tall man.

Once he got his hammer back, Thor gave Rachel one last smile which made her cling to Quinn again after having managed a small wave and left. They watched him walk away until he was out of sight. Quinn turned to Rachel and chuckled at the slightly dazed look on the smaller girl's face.

"You okay, Rachel?"

Rachel shook her head and beamed up at Quinn. "I hugged a god!"

Quinn groaned and turned to Agent Coulson. "We'll never hear the end of this, I'm afraid."

"Just wait until our next assignment," Agent Coulson said with a chuckle.

"Agent Coulson? Do you get hugged a lot?" Rachel asked curiously.

"It happens, now and then," he answered, smirking lightly. "And I think you two have earned the right to call me Phil."

"Phil," Rachel and Quinn said in unison, smiling proudly at him. He rolled his eyes and started walking to his car.

"Well, come on. Captain America isn't going to wait forever!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: To all the lovely, _lovely_ people who added this story to various alerts and to those who reviewed, I thank you very much. I'm annoyingly self-conscious about my writing so it helps to know that you all seem to like it. As you can see, Steve and Tony are progressing slowly, but they are progressing! If I write something that does not make sense (re: the avengers), please let me know. I try to get my facts straight but I am only human after all. I will be in France next week so I won't be able to update but I'll make sure to do so when I get back. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

* * *

"I've always wanted to visit New York!" Rachel exclaimed as she exited the car and nearly bounced around in excitement.

Quinn gave her an indulgent smile and put her arm around the smaller girl's shoulders, steering her into the direction where Phil had gone. "We'll see if we can get some down-time later, to explore, okay?"

Rachel nodded enthusiastically and wrapped her arm around Quinn's waist, enjoying the physical contact.

They entered the building, finding themselves inside a giant lobby. Phil was waiting for them, an attractive-looking woman standing next to him. Quinn dropped her arm, Rachel doing the same, and they smiled politely at the woman as they joined them.

"Mr. Rogers is staying on the fifteenth floor, in room 504."

Phil thanked her kindly and then they headed towards one of the three elevators. Once inside, he pressed a button and they waited.

"So, where are we?" Rachel asked, no longer able to handle the silence and the horrible elevator music.

"Stark Tower. Director Fury told me that Tony Stark agreed to provide Mr. Rogers with a living space."

"Oh. Tony Stark..."

"Iron Man," Phil supplied. "He's on our list."

The elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor and the doors opened, leading them out into a hallway. They followed the numbers on the doors and stopped when they reached number 504. Phil hesitated a moment before he raised his hand and pushed the doorbell.

They only had to wait a few seconds before the door opened and revealed a muscular man with adorably ruffled blond hair and blue eyes. "Hello, Mr. Coulson," he said with a smile as he recognised Phil.

"Please, call me Phil," Phil replied. Rachel and Quinn shared a look after having noticed a subtle blush on Phil's cheeks. "And these are my colleagues, Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Am-um, Rogers. Mr. Rogers," Rachel said, embarrassment clear as she fumbled with her words.

Steve smiled gently at the small girl. "Call me Steve, and it's nice to meet you, too ..."

"Rachel! I'm Rachel."

"Rachel. You must be Quinn," he said as he turned his blue eyes to Quinn.

"That's me," Quinn supplied.

Once again, Steve smiled. The three agents were swooning lightly by the time he invited them inside. The room was much bigger than they had expected. It was more of a loft than a hotel room. There was a fairly large kitchen, a dining area, a sitting room with a giant tv screen on the wall, a pool table tucked away in one of the corners and stairs leading up to what they assumed was his bedroom. The large floor-to-ceiling windows provided him with lots of natural light and a stunning view of the bustling city below.

They were told to sit down and Steve offered them something to drink, or eat. They politely declined and he joined them, sitting down in a comfortable chair across from them. "What can I do for you?"

Phil crossed his legs. "Director Fury sent me because he would like you to join a new project S.H.I.E.L.D. has been working on. He only vaguely explained why now, but as I understand it humanity is in danger and we need protection beyond what the army can give us."

"How will I be able to help? I'm strong, but not stronger than an army."

"There are others who we are contacting to join. Thor is already on our side, we hope Mr. Stark will sign up as well and we are working to locate a couple more. Together, you'll form a team of super beings called the Avengers and I do believe that you'll be much more powerful than anything earth-technology can offer us in the form of weaponry and strength. Plus, the team needs someone to motivate them, which would be you."

"Thor? The Norse god, Thor?" Steve asked, slightly flabbergasted.

Quinn and Rachel smiled at him while Phil nodded. "He's quite nice," Rachel said. "He gave me a hug."

"He did? That is nice, indeed," the blond man spoke, amused by Rachel's barely contained enthusiasm.

Phil and Quinn grinned at each other before returning to the task at hand.

"Does Tony know about this project?"

"He does, yes. I don't know the details of how it went down but apparently Director Fury denied him before."

"He must be pretty desperate to ask him this time, then," Steve mumbled.

Phil chuckled softly and shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Steve nodded understandingly. "I'll join the project," he said. "As if there ever was any doubt."

The agents smiled widely, excited to have him on board. "Indeed. Thank you, Mr. Rogers."

"Phil," Steven said gently. "I told you to call me Steve."

"R-right_. Steve_."

The Captain smiled at the shorter man and they followed him as he led them to the door. He shook their hands and they said their goodbyes. Phil subtly wiped his brow and they entered the elevator, going back down to the lobby of Stark Tower.

* * *

Tony Stark was waiting for them in the entrance hall. His presence demanded their attention, unlike Steve, who was quiet; the dark-haired man was flamboyant. "Agent Coulson," he said coolly to Phil before he turned his attention to Quinn.

"I don't believe we've met before," he drawled. "My name's Tony, and you are?"

Rachel huffed and shot a glare at the man. Quinn gave him a polite smile. "Quinn Fabray. Nice to meet you, Mr. Stark."

The rebuff was subtle but they all got it. Tony smirked at the blonde and he looked at Rachel. "Wow, another beauty. Agent, if I had known you were working with so many beautiful women I would've signed up earlier."

"Oh, I'm sure," Phil said dryly.

"Mr. Stark, my name is Rachel Berry. It's nice to make your acquaintance."

Tony frowned at the brunette and decided that he quite liked her already. "Berry?"

"Yes, and please refrain from making any crude remarks as I'm sure I've heard them all before and I am not interested."

Phil looked like a proud a father, the way he glanced at Rachel. Not many people were able to truly put Tony back in his place because, let's face it, the man was charming in his own slightly slimy way.

Tony chuckled. "You raised them well, Coulson. Now, Fury told me to let you stay here, the man seems to think I'm running some sort of government shelter, but in all my kindness I managed to free three rooms." He took three keys from his pocket and handed them to the three agents. "Everything's on the house, so enjoy," he said, winking at Rachel and Quinn.

They thanked Tony and Phil told the girls to go on ahead. He'd handle the talk with Tony since he knew how much Rachel wanted to explore the city.

* * *

Quinn was content to let Rachel drag her around, enjoying the other girl's childish enthusiasm. She was forced to take what she assumed were hundreds of pictures of everything but the smile on Rachel's face made it all worth it, even the developing blisters on her feet.

"Quinn! Look, the zoo!"

The blonde chuckled and followed Rachel into the Central Park Zoo. They spent over an hour walking around until they reached the Polar Circle, where they took a break and watched a polar bear with fascination.

"Thank you for this," Rachel said softly, fiddling with a loose thread on her shirt. "I've always wanted to visit New York City a-and I think I got a little overexcited... So, thank you for indulging me."

"Rach," Quinn started, putting a hand over Rachel's to stop the fidgeting. "You – I wasn't – this is one of the best days I've had and all of it is thanks to you."

For a moment, Quinn was sure that maybe she had said too much. People didn't go around saying stuff like that, what had she been thinking? Yes, they were good friends and there was a definite possibility of their friendship turning into something more but Quinn couldn't help but think back to what Phil had said to her back in New Mexico. That was the one thing keeping them from pursuing this obviously mutual attraction between them.

Rachel looked at her friend and could almost hear her thinking. She turned her hand over underneath Quinn's, palm facing upwards, and entwined their fingers. A light squeeze brought Quinn out of her reverie. "Where did you go just now?"

"Just thinking."

"About?"

Rachel's smile was gentle and Quinn wanted nothing more than to lean forward, close the distance between them, and kiss Rachel. "It doesn't matter," Quinn replied softly. "Ready to go?"

Quinn hadn't fooled Rachel, the girl had an inkling as to what was on the taller girl's mind and she was going to get her to talk about this before the day ended. Quinn wasn't the only one having trouble keeping her feelings in check, after all.

When they left the zoo, Rachel was proudly carrying a large plush polar bear that Quinn had bought her. She named him Norbert Fabray.

* * *

Tony and Phil settled at the bar in Stark Tower, Tony with a Martini, Phil with a Diet Coke (he was still on duty, after all). The bar was empty at this time of day and Phil was glad he could speak freely rather than whisper and watch over his shoulder every minute to see if he had been overheard.

"Alright, what does Fury want with me?" Tony asked disinterestedly.

"Director Fury has deemed you eligible for the Avengers program."

Tony raised an eyebrow, adding in a smug grin. "Really? I thought I was unqualified?"

"Things changed," Phil said, trying not to roll his eyes at the playboy millionaire.

"Clearly. And why exactly would I help?"

"It's what Iron Man does, isn't it?"

Tony shrugged. "It depends on what's in it for me."

"Look, Director Fury needs an answer sooner rather than later. If you wouldn't mind making a decision as fast as you can so that I can move on with my team to get things ready?"

"Who else is joining?"

"Steve is in."

"No surprise there," Tony mumbled under his breath.

Phil ignored him and continued. "Thor, Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff."

"Ah, Natasha... Sounds like quite the team you're putting together. Why?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss any details at this time. Join and you'll be briefed by Director Fury."

"I'll think about it," Tony said. He downed the rest of his Martini and stood up. "I'll let you know my decision. Until then, enjoy Stark Tower."

Phil waited until Tony was gone to rub his forehead and order a glass of Scotch.

* * *

"Oh no. No, no, no, no. I think we've had enough to drink," Quinn protested when Rachel returned to their table, carrying a tray of various drinks. The brunette ignored her and sat down, taking a glass in her hand.

"Come on, Quinn! Look, it's _pink_!" Rachel pointed at the pink concoction in her glass before taking an experimental sip. "It even tastes like pink!"

Quinn looked up at the ceiling and muttered under her breath, asking herself what god was responsible for putting her in this position. Clearly she could hold her liquor better than the other girl.

"You're going to have one massive hangover in the morning," Quinn said, taking a sip of her water.

"Perhaps, but yolo, Quinn. _Yolo_."

"What?"

"You only live once! Live it up! Live a little! Carpe diem!"

"O-kay. That's definitely enough alcohol for you."

Quinn took the tray and handed it over to the first person passing by. The girl frowned but accepted the tray, walking off to share the drinks with her friends. Rachel pouted at her when she turned back around and she sighed. "Don't do that."

"But Quinn, I wanted to get you drunk so that you'd finally kiss me," Rachel whined, having lost her barely-there filter due to the alcohol percentage in her little body.

The blonde blinked at her friend. "Oh."

"Yes. _Oh_. Now my plan is ruined because you hardly seem intoxicated at all and I'm making a fool of myself and, _oh god_, this was such a bad idea." Rachel groaned and pushed the rest of her drink to the middle of the table.

Quinn didn't know what to say, partially because she was at least a little tipsy and not in the right state of mind to have this particular conversation. She knew she had to say something, though, because Rachel looked mortified at her outburst and Quinn thought she could see the girl's lower lip begin to tremble.

"It's okay, Rach," she said softly, her voice barely carrying over the music coming from the speakers. "I ... I really want to kiss you."

* * *

It was close to midnight when someone knocked on Tony's door. His first thought was why didn't they ring the bell and the second was, of course, why this late? He opened the door to find Steve Rogers on the other side. He raised a questioning eyebrow and looked the blond over. He was wearing grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt that showed off his bulging muscles.

"Hello, Tony," said Steve, unaware that he was being checked out by the other man.

"Steve. Isn't it way past your bedtime?"

"I just returned from having a drink with Phil," Steve supplied, ignoring Tony's jab.

Tony heaved a sigh, already seeing where this was headed. He took a step aside and let Steve in. As the blond man walked in front of him he couldn't resist taking a peak at his behind. A sly grin appeared on his face and he had to admit that the Captain was in good shape, especially for someone his age.

"Do you want anything to drink?" the millionaire offered, a tad reluctant. Steve shook his head and he shrugged. They sat down in the living room where Tony made himself comfortable by putting his bare feet up on the coffee table.

"So what did Agent Coulson tell you to do?"

Steve frowned at him. "He didn't tell me to do anything. When I asked him if you had signed up, he said he was waiting for an answer. I figured I would stop by and see if you needed any assistance."

Tony snorted at that. "Why would I need assistance?"

"Well, you may have some questions or doubts, I don't know."

A part of Tony, a part that was _deeply_ hidden, had to admit that Steve was kind of adorable. It couldn't be more obvious that he had grown up in different age; he wasn't selfish, for one. He was always willing to offer help and he smiled way too much. Even at strangers. Tony shook his head. "I don't see the point in me joining this merry band of misfits."

"I think we could use your strength and your knowledge, and you may not act like you are, but you're a good person, Tony. You care about people and that's one thing we all have in common."

The dark-haired man rolled his eyes at Steve, this conversation was getting a little too sappy for his taste. He yawned loudly and obnoxiously and stretched his arms over his head. Steve watched him, patiently, although Tony could swear he saw a brief flicker of annoyance cross those blue eyes.

"Well, _Cap_, I'll take your words into consideration." Steve nodded, feeling somewhat defeated, and got up. Tony moved to follow him but he lifted a hand. "I'll see myself out. Have a good night, Tony."

Tony watched the blond man leave and sighed dramatically. Now he was seriously considering joining just to be around the old man's glorious presence. He chuckled to himself. "_Yeah right_."

* * *

Rachel stopped in front of the door to her hotel room, watching Quinn do the same. The blonde girl was across the hall from her so this was where they said goodnight. "I, um, I'm sorry," Rachel said, turning to lean back against the door. "I behaved quite poorly tonight."

Quinn chuckled softly and shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You're wrong. I know that-that there's this thing between us but we can't act on it because of our job and I-I was being selfish. I'm just not as strong as you, Quinn," Rachel finished quietly and looked down at her worn sneakers, ashamed to look at her friend.

Another pair of shoes entered her line of vision and she felt Quinn gently lift her chin, forcing her to look up. "I'm not that strong, Rachel," Quinn replied softly before leaning forward to connect her lips with Rachel's.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: I have returned from France and am ready to finish this story soon. I think another one or two chapters should do it. Once again I'd like to thank everyone for the alerts and the reviews, they seriously make my day. A little more action in this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

When Rachel opened her eyes she found herself on a hard, cold, wet concrete floor in what looked to be a cell. She blinked a couple of times and pinched her left arm. She flinched and concluded that she was definitely not dreaming.

* * *

Quinn was beyond worried when she couldn't seem to reach Rachel at all. She'd tried knocking on her hotel room door so hard that she briefly wondered if her hands were broken, she'd tried calling her to the point where Rachel's mailbox was full and she'd tried asking around but no one had seen her.

She spotted Phil, Steve and Tony in the lobby as she exited the elevator and jogged to catch up with them. Steve saw her first and frowned, immediately noticing the panicked look on the blonde's face. "What happened?" he asked as soon as Quinn reached them.

"Rachel's gone."

"What do you mean, Rachel's gone?" Phil asked.

"She's not in her room, she won't answer her phone and no one saw her since last night!"

"Okay, calm down," Phil directed at Quinn. "Is there any reason she would have left like this? Did anything happen last night to make her want to leave?"

Quinn bit her lower lip and nodded jerkily. "I-I, maybe. We kissed."

Steve saw Tony grinning and he quickly poked him in the side, effectively wiping the grin off of his face. Phil sighed and nodded at Quinn. "Okay, and did she seem, I don't know, different at all?"

"Um, no, not-not really. I mean, she seemed happy."

The kiss had been good. It had been amazing, if Quinn was being honest, and they had said good night after that. They'd talk more in the morning but the night had ended on a happy note. Rachel couldn't have just left, she wouldn't. "She wouldn't do this," Quinn said.

"Let's go check her room."

* * *

Thor waited for Heimdall to open the Bifröst. His father had informed him that his brother, Loki, had gone to Earth to enslave its people. Typical Loki. He knew his brother was often up to no good but he shouldn't have gone to Earth to mess with the humans that Thor kind of adored. He'd find Loki and bring him back home, whatever it took.

* * *

Rachel's room was clean. There were no signs of a struggle, no open window, nothing at all. Quinn knew something was seriously wrong and the longer they stood around doing nothing the worse the scenarios in Quinn's head got. She sat down on Rachel's bed and buried her face in her hands.

The mattress dipped as Steve sat down next to her. He put a comforting hand on her back and smiled reassuringly as Quinn looked at him.

"She'll be alright. Phil's on the phone with Fury. We'll get her back, Quinn."

"How? There isn't a single clue as to what happened to her!"

"I promise you," Steve said calmly. "Rachel will be okay."

Quinn looked at him, studying his face, looking for a trace of dishonesty and finding none. If Captain America himself believed that he could get Rachel back to her then who was she to doubt him? She nodded and got up, intent on helping in any way she could.

* * *

Rachel glared at her captor. He was grinning at her in a rather disarming way as he walked into her small cell. She studied the man; he was tall, pale, blue-eyed, had long black hair and was dressed in some sort of armour that wasn't human, as far as she could tell.

"Who are you? Why am I here? You'll regret this!"

The man chuckled. "Aren't you a fiery little thing? You'll get your answers in due time, I just wanted to see what my dear brother was so fond of when he talked about you."

"What?"

"He loves humans, you see. Me? I don't personally see the appeal, although I can't deny that your race is weak. I have big plans for this planet," he said, his eyes twinkling at the mere thought of making the humans kneel at his feet.

Rachel frowned at the man. He was very odd and didn't seem all that dangerous but then again, he was taking her hostage. She had a pretty good idea as to who he was, since he couldn't shut up about his human-loving brother. So far she had only met exactly one person from another planet: Thor Odinson. That made her captor Loki.

He was rambling on about his brother and how he hated him so Rachel tuned him out and thought of Quinn and how the girl must be so worried about her. She silently cursed herself for not having accepted Quinn's offer to stay the night; she would have woken up to Quinn instead of this. She knew Quinn, though, and she knew the girl would move hell and earth to find her.

* * *

Phil had taken Steve, Tony and Quinn to the S.H. .D. HQ per Director Fury's request. That's how Quinn knew this was more than just Rachel's disappearance. Since she was still in training she wasn't allowed inside the conference room so she had settled down in an empty interrogation room down the hall.

A commotion coming from the lobby caught her attention and as she went to check it out she saw Thor slam down his fist onto a desk, splitting it in two. She ran over to him, hoping he'd recognise her, before the security guards arrived.

"Thor!" she shouted and he turned to her.

"You! I know you!"

Quinn nodded, beyond relieved as he stopped destroying things. "Yes, yes. We met a while back, I was with Agent Coulson an-and Rachel Berry."

"Yes. I remember the fruit girl! Where is she?"

Quinn swallowed and answered Thor's question. Thor frowned and put a hand on Quinn's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "No need to worry. We will retrieve the girl."

Once again there was a super-being promising her that Rachel would be fine. Quinn was thankful for her job; she had no idea what she'd do otherwise. She nodded at Thor. "Thank you."

He smiled. "Now, where is the Son of Coul? I need to speak to him."

* * *

This time Quinn was allowed to join them in the conference room. She had met Nicholas Fury once before and she still didn't think he was that intimidating, despite the eye patch. She took a seat next to Steve, who gave her a gentle smile, and listened as Fury began to speak.

"Thor has informed us that his brother, Loki, is on this planet with the intent of enslaving the human race. I'm putting every single S.H.I.E.L.D. agent on this case; we have to locate him before he finds out where we are keeping the Tesseract. Should he obtain it; we'll all be doomed."

"What about us?" Tony asked.

"Once we locate Loki, you will have to stop him."

"What about Rachel?"

"We have reason to believe that Loki kidnapped Miss Berry. Once we find him, we'll find her." Nick Fury's voice was emotionless and it made Quinn clench her fists. She was about to ask for more information when she felt Steve's hand on her arm. She looked at him and he shook his head. She sighed and shrugged hopelessly, what was she supposed to do now?

"Don't worry, Quinn. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it," Steve whispered to her before returning his attention to the S.H.I.E.L.D. director. He was dividing them into groups to widen the search. Tony and Thor would cover more ground from above while Steve, Bruce, Clint and Natasha would roam the streets. Phil and Quinn would remain at the HQ and move out if they received any information.

"Quinn." Phil fell into step next to her as they excited the room. "I know you're worried about Rachel, I am too, but you need to focus on your job now."

"You mean waiting around here?" Quinn snapped.

"What do you suggest we do?"

"I want to go out there and actively look for her! That's what she would do if the roles were reversed!"

Rachel would stop at nothing if Quinn was somehow missing; she knew this for a fact. All through base camp their instructors had called it a weakness, the way Rachel refused to leave anyone behind, especially Quinn. Each time she would deviate from the plan to save someone she would receive some sort of punishment, mostly she would be on mess duty or would have to scrub the floor, and whenever this happened Quinn managed to sneak in and help her friend. She learned from Rachel that, no matter what, you didn't leave your friend behind. She wasn't planning on doing this now.

Phil paused near the elevator and sighed. "I'm sorry; we're under direct orders to stay here."

"Fine. Can I at least use the bathroom?"

Phil nodded as the elevator dinged, announcing its arrival on the ground floor. "Third floor, I'll meet you there?"

Quinn nodded and then turned around. She rounded the corner and waited there until she heard the elevator doors close. She carefully peeked to see if Phil was gone and, seeing that he was indeed no longer there, swiftly walked out of the building.

* * *

"Tell me where your father is."

Rachel shook her head, pressing her lips tightly together. Loki had taken her out of the cell and into another dingy, grey room. He put her in a chair and shackled her to it. Once he started interrogating her she quickly realised what this was about and she knew she couldn't answer his questions. Not because she didn't know the answer, but because of what would happen to her family, and all of humanity, if she did.

"I'll ask once more and if you fail to answer me, I'll stop being nice," he warned her. "_Where. Is. Your. Father?"_

The girl remained silent. Loki grinned at her and clapped his hands. "Very well."

He turned around, Rachel couldn't see what he was doing but she heard the clanking of metal against metal and shivered. When he faced her again he was holding a knife, though not a normal knife. It looked like something used in a ceremony of sorts and it certainly didn't look like it was made by humans. Loki swiped his finger across the blade and held it up for Rachel to see. His smile, as he put his injured finger in his mouth, made her skin crawl.

"Let's get down to business," he drawled as he walked over to his captive.

He started by placing the knife against Rachel's cheekbone. She could feel the cold metal press against her skin. A slight pinch made her know he had broken the skin and she felt the knife draw down her cheek, leaving a stinging sensation in its wake. A warm liquid rolled down her face and, when it dropped on her light blue shirt, she saw her blood staining it.

* * *

Steve should have kept an eye on Quinn, he realised. He had split up, heading north while Clint, Bruce and Natasha went off in different directions. He took what Phil had told him was an 'Eyephone' from his pocket and randomly tapped the screen, hoping he would get something right. He held the device to his ear and smiled as he heard a dial tone.

"This is the automatic answering machine of Tony Stark. Please leave a message after the beep. Beeeeep."

"Oh, um, right. Tony, this is Steve. I need to talk to –"

"Okay, you really are an idiot."

"Tony?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"I have a bad feeling about Quinn. I don't think she'll sit around while Rachel is in danger."

"And why are you calling me?"

"Because we need to find her."

"Seriously? I didn't join this boyband to become a babysitter."

"Why did you join, then?"

There was a moment of silence before Tony cleared his throat. "Okay, fine. Where are you?"

* * *

She was hurting all over. Loki hadn't stopped at maiming her face; instead he kept finding new places on her body to torture her. She was crying and dry heaving from the pain but he didn't let up. It was getting harder for Rachel to stay conscious; it got to the point where she'd rather just be done. With everything.

"Have you changed your mind about telling me the location of Dr. Berry?"

Rachel merely groaned in response.

"Well, then I suppose I will have to start looking for your other father. Perhaps he will be easier to break."

The words registered in Rachel's mind. "No!"

Loki smirked dangerously, having successfully baited the girl. "Yes?"

"Do-don't hurt him."

"I won't, if you tell me where I can find the good Doctor."

Rachel hesitated; if she told Loki where her dad was the world was finished. If she didn't, he would get her daddy. She had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. with the thought of protecting humanity; she had never guessed it would have come at such a prize.

"Or maybe you need a different incentive?" Loki questioned as he lifted her chin with his gloved finger. "What about that blonde girl you seem to like?"

Her eyes widened and she furiously shook her head. "She has nothing to do with this," she croaked, her voice hoarse from all the screaming she'd done earlier.

Loki looked please at the reaction he'd gotten. "No, indeed she does not, but I think she will get you to talk, won't she?"

"I..." Rachel paused. Once again she was forced to choose between someone she loved and all humanity. She bit her lower lip, the metallic taste of blood instantly filling her mouth. Calming her mind, she forced herself to think logically. Quinn would most likely be with Phil and by extension Tony and Steve. She wouldn't be defenceless. Hoping she was right, she continued. "I'm not telling you anything."

Loki growled and held her jaw tightly in his hand. "Then your loved ones will pay for your folly." He squeezed harder, making Rachel whimper softly, and let go. He wiped his gloves on her shirt and exited the dark room. Rachel prayed to a god she didn't believe in that Quinn would be somewhere safe, she'd never forgive herself if she had just led Loki to the other girl without any form of protection.

* * *

Quinn had no idea where she was headed. She had been aimlessly walking around New York City for a few hours without any trace of Rachel or Loki. Eventually she had come near an abandoned set of warehouses but she was hesitant to go any further. She didn't have a gun with her and she had heard several shadowy figures shouting obscene things at her as she got closer to the buildings.

She wasn't scared easily but when she heard someone behind her she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and a shiver went down her spine. She took a calming breath and turned around. There was no one there.

"Calm down, Fabray," she muttered to herself. It was dark and there were no streetlights in this area but she couldn't give up on Rachel, not because she was afraid of the dark. She steeled herself and continued to walk along the side of one of the warehouses, broken glass and gravel crunching beneath her sneakers.

"Hello, beautiful."

She spun around and came face to face with a tall bearded man. He looked about twice her size, both in height and in width, and he was wearing a scary amount of leather. His grin showed off his missing teeth and Quinn barely contained a disgusted look, figuring it would do her no good.

"Word on the street is there's a man looking for a pretty blonde. He's offering a _biiiig_ reward. Now I'm thinking you might be that girl. How's about you make this my lucky day and come with me?"

She clenched her fists and took a step away from the man. "I don't think so," she said lowly, eyes frantically looking for a way out. She wondered if she could outrun him. Probably, if she could get around him.

He lunged at her and managed to grab on to the hood of her sweater, yanking her back into him. She struggled against his grip but he was too strong. His biceps were bulging from the strain but she didn't think he'd let up anytime soon. She thought back to her training and brought her foot down on his. It had little effect since he was wearing steel-toed combat boots. She managed to kick his shin and he briefly loosened his grip. Quinn broke free and began to run.

A sharp pain erupted from the back of her skull and she sagged to the ground. The man was looming over her, holding a blood-stained brick in his hand. "I've caught ya," he chuckled and he pulled her on her feet. She groaned at the pain but still struggled against his grip, only making him tighten it. She was trapped.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Hey guys. I try to upload once a week but life got in the way this time so I'm a little late, I do apologise. As usual, thank you to those who reviewed and added this story to their alerts! Enjoy. :)

* * *

Agent Phillip Coulson banged his fist against the wall when, after half an hour, Quinn had failed to return from the bathroom. He muttered various curses under his breath as he stormed out of the room. Within ten minutes he had a team ready to go.

When word got back to him that someone was offering a reward to whoever brought him someone fitting Quinn's description he decided to call in the Avengers. Fury would be royally pissed off but to him his agents came first. He switched on his Bluetooth device, connecting him to the heroes.

"Coulson here. I have reason to believe that Loki is looking for Quinn."

"Find Loki, find the girls?" Natasha asked.

"Yes, that's what I think."

"Phil, Tony and I think we found a lead. We started looking for her earlier and we ended up near some abandoned warehouses. We're trying to find someone to talk to, ask if they've seen Quinn," Steve said.

"Look at them, playing nice," Clint muttered sarcastically.

"Shut up, Birdie," Tony snarked.

"Guys! Now is not the time for this," Phil said. "Let's find the girls."

* * *

Quinn struggled against her assailant as he shoved her into a room. She knew they were in one of the warehouses but they all looked the same. Trying to take in as much information as she could, she let her eyes roam. The walls and floor were grey concrete, nothing distinct about them. There was a single light bulb dangling from the ceiling, casting a glow on a figure in the middle of the room.

She squinted, trying to get a closer look, but the burly man shoved her again and she stumbled.

"Agent Fabray, how nice of you to join us!"

Looking around she noticed a tall man making his way over to her with a giant smile on his face.

"Loki," she hissed. "Where is Rachel?"

He looked over at the figure on the chair and back to her, laughing when he saw her eyes widen in realisation. Quinn began trashing against the burly man's hold and he grunted as he attempted to keep her in check.

"Rachel! Rachel, are you okay?"

* * *

A familiar voice reached her ears and she opened her eyes, groaning in pain as she became aware of her surroundings.

"Rachel!"

She frowned. "Q-Quinn?" she croaked. She blinked a few times, her vision clearing, and looked around. When she turned to the right she saw the struggling blonde shouting her name.

"Quinn!"

Rachel felt something akin to a punch in the stomach when she realised that Loki had managed to get to Quinn. She hadn't been safe. It was all her fault, she had basically told Loki to go after the blonde. "Quinn... I'm so sorry," she said softly, too quiet for Quinn to hear.

She watched as Loki dragged Quinn along, coming to a halt near Rachel. The two girls locked eyes and Rachel wanted nothing more than to hold the stoic-looking girl. Loki grinned in delight at their anguish and summoned a second chair. He pushed Quinn down onto the chair and bound her as well.

"Isn't this a lovely gathering of friends-turned-almost-lovers?" he asked, still grinning. "You see, Quinn, Rachel refused to –"

"Where's my reward?" the burly man who had captured Quinn asked, interrupting Loki without a second thought.

Loki's eyes flashed dangerously when he turned to face the man. He smirked and nodded. "Of course, your reward." Loki moved his hands in an intricate pattern and within seconds the man was frozen solid. He laughed gleefully and refocused his attention on the two girls.

"Where were we? Oh yes. Rachel refused to reveal the location of the famous Dr. Berry. I think she needs an incentive and that is why you are here," he said, looking at Quinn.

Rachel whimpered softly when Loki picked up a blade and teasingly held it against Quinn's throat. He ran the tip along the blonde's jaw, looking at Rachel while doing so. Quinn held still and controlled her breathing, doing her very best to remain calm under the circumstances.

"So, Rachel, are you ready to divulge your father's location?"

A trickle of blood made its way down Quinn's throat from where Loki had pressed a little harder. Quinn remained silent and her eyes never left Rachel.

Rachel shook her head. "I won't tell you where he is."

"I was rather hoping you would say that."

He yanked Quinn's head back, exposing her throat, and readied his blade. Slowly, he began dragging it across, pushing down hard. Rachel thrashed about, trying to break free, while blood began dripping down the other girl's shirt.

"Stop!" she yelled.

* * *

Steve and Tony barged into the room, having heard someone yell. While scanning the room they were surprised to find that it's empty. They had been near enough to hear shouting but they were in the wrong building.

Tony called Phil and told him that he was sure they were close to finding the two missing girls, and not ten minutes later the others joined them in the empty room. Phil questioned Steve and Tony on what they heard when suddenly, Loki strutted in with a smile on his face.

"Brother," Thor growled at Loki.

"Hello, Thor. I hear you've been searching for me?"

"Where are you keeping Rachel and Quinn?"

Loki laughed in perverse amusement. "They're close but you better hurry because I'm afraid poor Quinn will not live much longer."

Thor clenched his fist and lunged at his brother, trying to grab him. Loki disappeared into thin air before Thor could touch him. "It was a projection," he growled angrily. "He tricked us!"

"He did say the girls are nearby," Natasha uttered. "Let's split up and find them."

* * *

Rachel stopped struggling when she felt her restraints vanish and immediately scrambled to catch Quinn, who fell forwards without the heavy chains holding her in place. The blonde was unconscious and bleeding profusely from the wound on her throat.

"Quinn. Quinn, wake up!" Rachel said. Quinn didn't move. Silent tears started streaming down Rachel's face but she ignored them. Desperately, she tried to get a response from the girl lying in her lap.

She released a sob and gave herself a minute before getting it together. She took of her long-sleeve shirt and tore off a sleeve. She wrapped it around Quinn's neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Next she got up and tried to lift Quinn but the dead weight was too much for Rachel.

She tried and tried until her muscles burned. Still, she refused to give up and she hoisted the lifeless body over her shoulder. With nothing but pure determination Rachel made it outside but she had absolutely no idea where she was and where she should go.

With a cry she fell down to her knees. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over to the girl in her arms.

* * *

Thor was the first one to spot the small girl sitting on the ground, shoulders shaking as she cried. He ran towards her and knelt down next to Rachel. "Are you okay?" was the first thing he asked.

Rachel looked at him and shook her head, her eyes red and puffy. "He killed Quinn," she whispered.

The blond God looked at Quinn, eyeing the blood-soaked cloth around her neck. "Not all hope is lost; I still hear her pulse, though it is growing faint." He got up and turned on the Bluetooth device Phil had given him. "I have located the girls. Quinn needs medical assistance immediately."

"What's your location?" Phil asked.

"Near Warehouse 5."

"We'll be there in three minutes. Hold tight!"

Thor looked momentarily puzzled at the expression but Rachel's sniffling pulled him out of it. "Rachel, everything will be okay," he said as he crouched down next to her and put a large hand on her shoulder. "The Son of Coul will be here soon and then he'll take care of Quinn."

Rachel nodded distractedly and was promptly pulled into Thor's strong arms. He held her and let her cry into his chest until they could hear several cars coming to a halt near them. Phil was leading a team of medics, carrying a stretcher, and he immediately saw Quinn lying in Rachel's lap. He directed the medics and they gingerly lifted the girl onto the stretcher before rushing off again.

"I want to go with her!" Rachel protested but Phil shook his head.

"Rachel, you need to tell me where Loki is headed. We need to stop him from acquiring the Tesseract or –"

"I know, okay? I know! The whole world will be doomed. I don't care! It's my fault Quinn is going to die!"

Thor tightened his hold on the small girl and Rachel calmed down enough to realise that her dad was still in danger. "Oh god, I-I told him. I told him where my dad is."

"So he knows."

Rachel nodded.

Phil turned around and began barking orders into his communication device. Thor got up and pulled Rachel with him. "No worries," he said. "I can stop my brother once we get there."

* * *

Dr. Hiram Berry had been holed away inside a S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility for about two months with a team of the world's best scientist, trying to figure out what exactly the Tesseract was and how they could tap into its energy.

He had no idea how dangerous it was until he could hear a series of explosions and screams coming from outside the research room. "What the," he muttered, lifting his glasses to get a better look.

Loki walked into the room unscathed and immediately spotted Hiram. He smiled at him. "You must be Hiram Berry. Your daughter was kind enough to supply me with your location."

"Rachel? Wha-what is going on?"

"Dr. Berry, I believe you have something that belongs to me and I would like to get it back," Loki said. He walked closer to Hiram and craned his neck. The blue light of the Tesseract shone brightly and he grinned. "Now move." He pushed the smaller man aside and approached the cube.

Hiram was the only one in the room but Director Fury had told the team of scientist what to do in case of an emergency. There was a red button located on each of the computers which were in turn connected to the S.H.I.E.L.D. mainframe. He stood up and sidled closer to his desk, his hands behind his back, ready to push the button.

"I wouldn't do whatever you are about to do," Loki advised him.

"I-I wasn't..."

Once again Hiram found himself on the floor, this time at Loki's feet. "Rachel co-operated in the end, I'm sure I can get you to do the same."

"Where's my daughter? What did you do?"

Loki flashed him a smile. "We had a pleasant time together, though she might think otherwise. Not to worry, she is alive as long as you assist me."

* * *

Phil drove as fast as he could, breaking all the speed limits to get to the research facility in time. He had sent Thor and Tony ahead in the hopes that they could hold off Loki but if he got his hands on the Tesseract they'd all be lost.

* * *

"Brother," Thor said as he stepped inside the room. Loki was hovering over the glowing cube, Hiram was typing on his computer, fingers moving rapidly until he spotted Thor.

Loki turned to face his brother and opened his arms, welcoming him. "I knew you would find me."

"You left the girl alive."

"I did. I wanted her to point you to me."

Thor frowned, not understanding why Loki would want Thor to find him this easily. "Why?"

"Because, dear brother, I wanted to give you the chance to join me. Like old times."

"I have learned from my mistakes, Loki. You should, too."

"Mistakes?" Loki hissed. "I made no mistakes. I am right in wanting to enslave this pathetic race. They are weak! They are waiting for someone to lead them!"

"They are capable of greatness," Thor countered. "I will not let you get away with this."

"Pity. I had so hoped you would join me."

"You can still stop this. Stop this and come home with me."

Loki scoffed. "_Home_? You think Father would allow me to return?"

"He sent me here to collect you."

"Yes, I imagine he did. You'll fail, brother. I won't go back to be incarcerated for the rest of my life!"

While Thor kept Loki busy, Tony snuck inside the room and got Hiram out. Phil had arrived with the others and soon they had Loki surrounded without his knowledge. They were all counting on Thor to lure Loki away from the Tesseract but as long as he was near it they couldn't move in.

"Think about what you are doing," Thor almost pleaded. What Loki was doing was unacceptable but he was still someone whom he grew up with. Odin had told him that Loki had been adopted, that he was Laufey's son, but Thor would always think of him as a brother and he didn't want to lose him.

"I have thought about it! And I know what you are attempting to do! Distracting me won't help, you should know better."

Thor barely had time to get out of the way before Loki put up his hands and made all the computers in the area explode. He would have to find another way to get the Tesseract out of its case without the computers.

Thor got up and charged at his brother. He swung his hammer around and hit him in the side of the head, sending him sprawling to the ground. Loki got to his feet and narrowed his eyes at Thor.

"You can't stop me."

Instead of replying verbally, Thor threw Mjölnir at Loki and hit him square in the chest. Once again Loki got up. This time he was done playing games. He blasted Thor out of his way and stepped over him. He looked down. "Goodbye, brother."

* * *

All they could see was smoke, nothing but smoke. "Clint, can you get up there?" Phil asked, nodding at the rafters inside the research room. Clint surveyed the area and found an air duct vent near the ceiling. He nodded.

"Okay, go and get us a visual on Loki." Then he turned to the remaining Avengers. "Get in there and stop him."

They left and he got Director Fury on the line, giving him an update. After a few minutes the smoke cleared from the room and he saw Steve and Tony frozen to the ground. Natasha and Thor were out cold and Bruce was being restrained by Loki. He looked at Rachel, who was silently talking to her father. "Rachel."

She looked up but was still angry with him for refusing to let her go with Quinn earlier. They had received no news on the blonde's condition, only that she was critical and might not survive.

"There is a destruction mechanism underneath the facility, I need you to go down and activate it. Get it on-line. _Now_."

Rachel nodded, saying nothing more, and walked away. Phil motioned at two agents to join her before sighing and rubbing his forehead.

"Agent Coulson."

He turned around and found himself face-to-face with a grinning God of Mischief. "I believe it's your turn now."

* * *

**Question**: does Quinn survive? I'm not 100% what I'm going to do yet, so let me know what you guys want.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: At last! The final chapter has arrived. As always, thank you to those who were kind enough to take the time to review (it was indeed silly of me to ask you guys whether Quinn would survive or not, eheh) and to those who added this story to their alerts. It kept me motivated to finish. I'm already working on several new ideas which I am very excited about, I'm sure I'll post something new in the very near future. Alright, enough chit-chat. Go forth and read, and most importantly: **enjoy!**

* * *

Rachel located the destruction mechanism and waited for Phil to give her the green light; though she'd rather not have to blow up the entire facility and all the people in it. The two agents Phil sent with her were in a constant state of vigilance and ignored Rachel, who didn't mind. Thoughts of Quinn kept her mind preoccupied.

She sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her forehead on her knees. If Quinn died she'd never forgive herself. If she hadn't provoked Loki, Quinn would still be okay. She was too busy playing the 'what if' game that she failed to hear Phil's warning that Loki was on his way down and to get the hell out.

Suddenly, she saw the two agents crash into a wall and fall to the ground unconsciously. She scrambled to her feet and sneered at Loki.

"Rachel Berry, a pleasure to see you again," he said jovially, as if they were old friends.

Rachel was seething and vowed to herself that this would be ending right then and there, no matter what the cost. "Don't move," she growled. "One step in my direction and I'll blow this place to pieces."

Loki snickered and took a step towards Rachel, taunting her. "You wouldn't dare forfeit your own life, let alone the lives of all your friends, would you?"

Rachel clenched her jaw.

"Or maybe you would, considering what you did to your _friend_."

"Don't. Don't you dare talk about Quinn!"

"I see I have hit a sore spot. She was alive, was she not?"

"Barely."

"Mhm, but I gave her a chance. I am willing to offer you the same chance," Loki said, eyeing the explosive device behind Rachel. "I will allow you to leave here, unscathed, if you tell me how to use that device."

"And let you kill everyone?"

Loki shrugged. "Collateral damage."

Rachel shook her head. "I'm going to kill you; I don't care what it takes."

"Are you sure? This is a one-time offer. Leave and go take care of your girl or stay and die."

"I'll take option number three: stay and end this."

"Very well," Loki said, sighing at Rachel's stubbornness. "As you wish."

* * *

Thor groaned and got up, wobbling slightly on his unsteady legs. He looked around the room to find the rest of the Avengers in the same predicament. He helped Steve to his feet and moved to help Phil, who was sporting a large cut above his eyebrow and several shallow injuries.

"Rachel," Phil croaked. "He went after her."

The god nodded in understanding and, without a second thought, rushed out of the room. Phil groaned and turned to Tony, Bruce and Steve. "They're in the basement," he said. The three got the hint and moved, following Thor.

Phil sighed and wiped at the blood that was dripping down his face with the sleeve of his expensive suit. Natasha and Clint joined him, waiting for orders. "Stay here. Watch the cube in case Loki comes back," he said. "I'm going down there to help."

* * *

Loki lunged at Rachel but was suddenly knocked sideways by a blond blur. Rachel sighed in relief when she spotted Tony, Steve and Bruce hurry in her direction. She watched as Loki threw Thor off of him and got ready for a fight.

"You can't defeat me, brother."

Thor huffed and got to his feet. "Maybe so, but I can restrain you and I will be taking you home to Father."

Loki narrowed his eyes at Thor. "I would like to see you try."

While the two brothers fought each other Tony reached Rachel, followed by Steve and Bruce. "Are you okay?" Tony asked, showing concern for his favourite agent.

"I'm fine," Rachel said. "What are we going to do now?"

"Restraining Loki and delivering him back to Odin seems like a good plan, I just hope Thor can hack it."

Rachel nodded.

* * *

Nick Fury eyed the research facility and shook his head. "Ruined. _Again_."

"What are we going to do with the Tesseract?" Phil questioned.

"I'm here to collect it, then I'm blowing this shit up."

"Loki is still at large, Sir."

"Exactly."

Before Phil could protest Fury walked off, taking the cube with him. "Get in the car, Coulson. Now."

Phil was absolutely furious; he refused to leave his team behind. "This is Agent Coulson," he spoke into his communication device. "Evacuate immediately. I repeat: evacuate immediately."

* * *

Tony looked at Steve and nodded. "We have to split," he said. "Thor! This shit's gonna blow, let's go!"

Thor grunted and punched Loki in the face with his hammer, knocking him unconscious and making him fly against the hard concrete wall. He hoisted Loki over his shoulder and followed the rest out of the basement.

Rachel was right on their heels, almost reaching the end of the hall, when the device exploded, the force of the blast flinging her into the wall. The others had made it out in time, not realising that Rachel had been left behind until they were at a safe distance.

"Where's Rachel?" Steve asked, looking around and not finding the girl.

"She was right beh—" Tony stopped talking, having realised that Rachel must've been left behind. "We have to go back!"

Steve put a hand on Tony's arm and motioned at the building. It went up in flames and crumbled to the ground. In the space of a minute the facility was totalled.

"We failed," Tony said. "How could we have been so careless?"

Steve wrapped his arms around Tony and pulled him into a tight hug, ignoring the cold press of the iron of Tony's suit. Thor was busy restraining Loki but saw his distraught friends.

"What is the matter?" he asked, confused.

"Rachel didn't make it," Bruce informed him sadly.

"What?" Thor snarled. "Who left her behind?"

Tony moved out of Steve's embrace. "I did."

"No, no you didn't," Steve uttered. "We _all _failed."

They looked at the smouldering remains of the building, silently mourning Rachel's loss when something moved through the air, heading in their direction. Bruce was the first one to notice and pointed it out to the rest.

"What is that?" Steve questioned.

Before anyone could answer, the figure dropped from the sky and laid a lifeless Rachel on the grass.

"I figured you guys forgot something."

Phil hurried to the figure and nearly jumped into his arms. "Peter, thank god!"

Steve and Tony smiled as Peter took off his mask and shrugged. "I was in the neighbourhood, so."

"Spider-Man," Thor said. "You saved the Berry girl. I am forever grateful."

Thor clapped Peter on the shoulder, making him stumble back, and laughed deeply.

Peter returned the smile. "It's no biggie, really. I'm glad to help."

Tony and Steve nodded approvingly. "Peter, thank you," Steve said.

The teenager blushed at all the attention and rubbed his neck with his right hand. "It's all good, man. But, um, I think you should get the girl to a hospital."

* * *

Quinn opened her eyes slowly, the light making her flinch, and blinked a couple of times before her vision cleared. She observed her surroundings and concluded that she was in a hospital. She groaned and sat up, feeling a sharp pain as she tried to swallow.

"Easy there."

She frowned and looked to her right, seeing Steve Rogers sitting at her bedside. He got up and moved closer with a friendly smile. "You're okay, Quinn. Do you remember what happened?"

Quinn blinked a few times as she tried to remember how she got here. "Loki," she said quietly, her voice husky from disuse.

Steve nodded. "Rachel carried you out of the warehouse and that's how we found you. You were out for a couple of days but the doctors say you'll have no lingering issues from your injury."

"Rachel?"

"She's okay. She's in the room next to yours, actually," he said. "Don't worry, she's perfectly fine. They're just keeping her overnight for observation."

Quinn sighed in relief and sank back into her pillows. She swiped her hand over her throat, feeling a bandage where Loki had cut her. "Can I see her?"

"Of course. Can you walk or would you prefer a lift?"

The blonde moved out of the bed and carefully put her feet on the cold floor. Steve was next to her to catch her if need be. She took a step and then another, smiling slightly at Steve as they slowly made their way to Rachel's room.

* * *

The door opened and Rachel saw Quinn walk inside. "Quinn!"

She hopped out of the bed when Thor stopped her, looking pointedly at the IV that was connected to her arm. "Oh," she said sheepishly. "Thanks..."

Thor and Steve exchanged an amused look as Rachel took the whole contraption with her and carefully enveloped Quinn in her arms. They stayed in their embrace for a while until Quinn suggested they sit down.

"I'm so, so sorry, Quinn. I—"

Rachel was abruptly silenced by Quinn's lips on hers, the rest of her sentence lost. She moved her free hand to the blonde's neck and held her in place. Thor and Steve looked away, both slightly blushing at the public display of affection.

"What happened?" Quinn asked when the kiss ended.

Rachel eyed Thor and Steve before retelling every single that happened since Quinn got taken to the hospital. At the end Quinn shook her head in disbelief. "Is Loki gone?" she asked Thor.

The Norse god nodded his head. "I bound him and took him back to Asgard where my father will take care of him. He won't be a bother to you again, I promise."

"And you always keep your promises," Rachel said, smiling brightly at Thor. Thor returned the smile and shrugged. "Isn't that the point of making promises?" Steve questioned.

"It is, but sometimes people fail," Rachel said.

* * *

The girls were released from the hospital at the same time and they were taken to the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters for debriefing. Director Fury informed them that they would no longer require a mentor, they were now officially S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and he told them that Phil would take them to the Avengers mansion.

When they entered the mansion they couldn't help but stare. Phil chuckled at their expressions; he understood all too well. Tony had given them the mansion to use, all the Avengers had moved in, and he had made sure that everything was up-to-date and overly luxurious.

He guided them to their rooms and left them to settle in. It didn't take long before Quinn found herself in Rachel's room, smiling when she saw Norbert lying in Rachel's bed. She sat down and watched Rachel flit around the room until she noticed Quinn's eyes on her. She smiled shyly and dropped the pair of shoes she was holding.

"What are you looking at?" she asked with a smirk as she made her way over to the blonde.

Quinn smiled and pulled Rachel down to sit next to her on the bed. "The girl I love," she said softly, watching Rachel's eyes widen in surprise.

"You l-love me?"

"Of course I do, Rach."

"After what I did to you?"

Quinn sighed. "It wasn't your fault. He would've gotten to me anyway."

Rachel's eyes drifted to the bandage on Quinn's neck and she shook her head. Quinn put her hands on Rachel's cheeks and gently lifted her head until the brunette looked at her. "I love you, Rachel."

"Quinn..."

"I love you," Quinn repeated forcefully. "So much."

Rachel bit her lower lip. "How can you?"

"It's easier than you'd think. What happened with Loki, that's in the past; I'd like to focus on the here and now, Rach. And right here and right now? I want _you_."

Before Rachel could protest Quinn's lips were pressed against her own and she couldn't remember what she was about to say. "I love you, too," she mumbled in between kisses and squealed when Quinn pulled her down onto the bed.

* * *

Phil Coulson knew that relationships with colleagues complicated things but when he looked at Quinn and Rachel he knew that he couldn't imagine them not being together. His eyes drifted over to Steve and he smiled sadly as Steve smiled at him before he was being pulled up the stairs by Tony. He took a swig of his Martini Dry and left the mansion; he had a date with a hot cellist to get to.


End file.
